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Geoff Boycott: A Cricketing Hero | 
 enlarge | Author: Leo Mckinstry
Publisher: HarperCollinsWillow
Category: Book
List Price: £7.99
Buy New: £3.54
You Save: £4.45 (56%)
New (12) Used (12) from £0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 15980
Media: Paperback
Pages: 368
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5 x 1.1
ISBN: 0007196938
Dewey Decimal Number: 796
EAN: 9780007196937
ASIN: 0007196938
Publication Date: May 3, 2005
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
The best of all cricket biographies October 17, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is the absolute pinnacle when it comes to cricket biographies, immaculately and painstakingly researched, it covers every aspect of this remarkable and interesting man's life in and out of cricket. What a subject Boycott is - like Brian Clough, Bill Shankly and Van Morrison, he is a man forever tarred with the "grumpy and rude" brush, but capable of the odd act of surprising consideration. The fact is that Boycott's history delivers example after sorry example of staggering self-obsession, astonishing rudeness and at times and almost complete inability to play his chosen game in anyone's interest but his own. Yet he is also perhaps the greatest batsman cricket has ever produced. A truly fascinating subject for a biography - it seems every second page features a tale of Boycott almost deliberately running one of his batting partners out. I had thought he just did it to Derek Randall in 1977. Wrong, he'd been doing it since the early 60s ! His often bizarre, secluded and secretive relationships with women are covered as well, and the steadfast loyalty all his women have shown him, despite the "sexist pig" accusations. He is a man of continual complex contradictions, he will embarass one just when one hopes and prays he will be polite. When one does not expect much from him, he will go the extra mile.
The remarkable thing about reading this book is how, as you read Leo McKinstry's excellent narrative, you realise that, contrary to popular belief, people such as Geoffrey Boycott are not a one-off. I can think of three people exactly like him that I know....
 A very fair account - which is what matters in this case June 18, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Boycott evokes strong responses in many people on both sides of the fence: amongst professional cricketers past and present, amongst cricket fans and amongst the general public by dint of his wider celebrity. Those views are deeply entrenched and, I suspect, unlikely to be changed. If you retain an open mind however then, simply, there's no better place to look to form your opinion on Boycs than Leo McKinstry's excellent biography.
The subtitle of the book, 'A cricketing hero' kind of hints at McKinstry's personal stance on Boycott (indeed, it would a strange author indeed who took the trouble to write a biography on a cricketer s/he despised....which makes me wonder about Don Mosey...) but the overwhelming impression I got from the biography was just how fair it was: McKinstry is obviously an admirer of, but by no means an apologist for, Boycott.
Most of the prejudices, misconceptions and lazy tabloid thumbnails of Boycott - received wisdom built upon professional jealousies, Chinese whispers and apocryphal gossip - are expertly picked apart with logic and bare facts. Many of the anecdotes exposing Boycott's boorishness, arrogance, selfishness and social ineptitude are upheld, with no attempt to excuse, contextualise or qualify them.
With admirably comprehensive research and careful and even-handed compilation, Boycott is presented as a very complex character, a person of stark contradictions: utterly self-centred but also generous, eye-wateringly rude and insensitive and yet considerate and charming, confident, calculating and determined whilst also emotionally fragile and in need of constant encouragement, intensely private but craving attention.
I have read more passionate and interesting cricketing [auto]biographies but, given the aim of the book, none have been better researched or well balanced.
The best cricket biography I have read August 14, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Geoffrey Boycott : A Cricketing Hero is a crickting biography that impressed me the most about books of cricketing legends I have read so far to emerge in the scene. It is beatifully and insightfully written to paint a full picture of Boycott from various angles. The main features include childhood, schooling days, first cricket career, international scene, media role, continued contribution to the game and personal life. He unfortunately is no stranger to controversy as few parts of the book provide evidence of.
Geoffrey Boycott is clearly misunderstood as it an initial impression that I potray of the legend. A few distinguish traits are not favoured well with peers. He is perceived as self centred, obsessed and arrogant individual, but no one can deny he is one of the all time cricketing greats to embrace a name within the sport. He loves and is passionate about cricket, which is unquestionable. Ok he resorts to quarrels with the management and is obsessive with technique, but their is real truth to this. The author sets about trying to understand Boycott's character and looks at contrasting sides the personality.
If you have a passion for cricket, read this biography and you will understand the psychology of Geoffrey Boycott's personality and what traits differniates the legend from leading cricketers. The biography is beautifully narrated and colourfully in sighted. It took me three days to read this biography, as it is so fascinating and interesting.
Definitive... September 14, 2005
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Although Geoff Boycott himself needs no introduction, many of the aspects of both his career, and his personal life have been either lost or exaggerated in the plethora of tales and anecdotes about his life. Leo McKinstry aims to set the record straight in this frank and incredibly well-researched biography.He succeeds emphatically, cutting through all the tabloid hysteria that surrounded Boycott's life, and delivering a brilliant and, most importantly, honest portrayal of one of sport's most complex individuals. The story itself is as compelling as any biography I have read, and is by far and away the most definitve and complete book about Boycott. Whatever anyone's personal view of Boycott, one cannot help but be gripped by the incredible single-mindedness and tenacity of the man who 'just wanted to play cricket for Yorkshire'. It truly is a most remarkable read, and moves at such a spanking pace it could almost be a novel. I read this book in one sitting, and anybody who has even a passing interest in cricket should certainly pick this one up. At this price there is absolutely no reason not to.
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